Architecture of Sacred Natural Sites

Project idea

I am from small town Kehra, 30 km from Tallinn. Nevertheless all my life I have been said I am from capital Tallinn, to fit the mainstream, avoid longer explanations. I never felt excessively good in Kehra, I may even say it felt depressive there. I have not known to link myself with the place. Still sometimes taking a walk nearby forest looking at the town I have felt myself good. I have felt an inner peace, the connectedness. Estonian world perception, memory, customs, beliefs and values are strongly bound to nature. Sacred natural sites are inseparable part of Estonian engrained culture. At the same time the sites have been destroyed by foreign forces, often the churches have been built on the sites. On the last decades mainly the lack of knowledge or capitalistic greed have been threat for the Estonian natural sites. The purpose of my work is to appreciate, clean the natural sites by architectural conceptualization. I have chosen 9 sites different on their character. I have approached the work guided by location and written up folklore. Trough folk myth I attempted to apprehend, realize the character of the sites over time of history. By visiting all the sites personally attempted to apprehend, realize the genius loci.

Project description

Sacred natural sites are natural areas having special spiritual significance to peoples and communities. The information of sites have been given down Genration to generation for thousands of years up to today. I have approached the work guided by location and written up traditions, folklore. Sacred natural sites consist of all types of natural features including mountains, hills, forests,trees, rivers, lakes, springs. There have been counted over 3000 natural sites in estonia. The local natural religion is old about 10000 years.
84 percent of people who live in estonia find that protection and to hold the sites are important.
86 percent think that estonian goverment should support sacred sites equally to churches.
At the moment sacred natural sites are supported 28 times less.
At the present moment often the churches are built on the sites. On the last decades mainly the lack of knowledge or capitalistic greed have been threat for the Estonian natural sites. For example some factories, entertainment centers are built almost on sacred sites.

Technical information

The purpose of my work is to appreciate , bring awareness by architectural installation. ( Installation art can be either temporary or permanent )
I have chosen 9 sites different on their character.
Kunda Hiiemägi (Kunda Sacred Hill)
The folklore goes that on Kunda hill have been thousands years a beautiful oak forest with a spring and offering stone. But at 17 century the landlord gave order to cut down forest. Since then the biodevirsity of place have been changed. There are no remains of oak forest, sacred stone or spring. In soviet times the hill was heavily mined. The sacred hill is long 1,7 km, wide 400m, high 15 m.
The Idea is to recover the biodiversity by inplanting birdhouses. There are different birdhouse typology for different birds. For example some birds, like starlings can lived together and the other ones as, strixs, live alone in a big birdhouse as well they need more space around the house. The material such as concrete are from local factory, next to the holy hill.
Adavere Hiiemägi (Adavere sacred hill)
Folklore says Adavere is sacred hill. There are offering stone and graveyard. In Present situation it is mid point of estonian mainland and the highway goes throught the sites separating hill and connecting two estonian biggest citys Tallinn and Tartu. Usually drivers pass the sacred place in 100 km/h not being aware of the place. The idea was to communicate with drivers with their sign system - Road signs. To make small break and to bring consciousness of sacred site.
Jaanikivi (the Sacred Stone Jaani)
The folklore says that at sacred stone one must give offerings to get all type of help. Offerings have to been done on midsummer day. On the Tsarist era 5000 people have been on the site on Midsummer day to gain healt. There are a lot of visitors till today. Sacred stone of Jaani is strongly connected with midsummer traditions. It s a time when people make fires, swing and go to sauna.
The Idea is to connect with axis existing church and stone of jaani with concrete smoke sauna and swings The sauna is designed of concrete and swings from steel. The non-traditional material use gave me oportunity to simplify form, make the object more vandalism proof and at the same time clearify them as monument.
Kuremäe Hiiemägi (Kuremäe sacred hill)
Kurema sacred hill was a central sacred site for people around, votic nation. On the present day the site is a place of Orthodox monastery, built in 1885. Archeologiest have found remains of Votic cementary from 12-13 centuray. The site also consist of well-known spring and sacred oak tree. Buildings and taps by spring are built by monestary to take water there.
Idea is make a chapel farther from local stones – where two openings focus on holy oak and spring to concentrate on the main two strong lines to understand the spirit of place in history and present time. The oak is on the same line as church. as it is part of the mental landscape of the site
Rosma ristimets (Rosma crosse’s wood)
The myth goes: The cross is carved after person death, on the way taking the left one to the graveyard. Carveing the cross soul is connected with tree and wont haunt living relatives. Today many trees have been cut down on lack of knowledge in order to extend the highways.
The Idea was to design parallel mirrors, which make endless tunnel. And driver who pass this place. Understand that he or she pass some other dimension of life. life and death tunnel.
Saula Siniallikad (Saula Blue Springs)
The folklore says that everyone who need help have to offer something to spring an drink spring water. The springs are 200-300 m from Tallinn-Tartu highway and Pirita river intersection. On the highway there is a nice drive off road and parking place. The site is not valued as sacred site. Next do the entrance is garbage container and one have to pass wire fence. Also the highway noise distracts the peace.
The Idea is to make noise barrier which have several gates so every visitor can pick his/her own road to the spring. And at the same time the natural sound 45 db restored.
Viieristi (the Crossroad Viieristi)
Viieristi is a site where 2 bigger roads and 1 smaller road intersect. The magical five corner cross is formed. Some hundred years ago all crossroads were sacred for estonian people. People went there to search luck, to talk with other dimension or predict future. Viieristi is one of the few where the information about crossroad is written. At the same time the crossroad are connected with a Suur Tõll. Tõll is a mytological character, who was kind giant who protecting the people of Saaremaa by throwing big stones against enemy.
The site is on Estonian island Saaremaa. Naturally it is very beautiful place. And the installation idea is to reorganise the nature a little bit. Collect some stones around and place them around crossroad. It would mark the sacred crossroad and on the other hand hopefully recover tradition to leave something in the roadcross. For example an another rock.
Tammelauri (The sacred oak tree named Lauri)
Tammelauri is an oldest tree in estonia, aproximatly 750 years old. The oak tree name tammelauri comes from fire spirit Lauri. People respect spirit for keeping good relationship with fire. In other cultures it s also common that oak tree connected with lightening spirit. The reason is because oak tree comparing with other trees is the best lightening catcher. The reason of that is because the roots of the trees often goes till groundwater.

Co-authors

My tutors were architects Kai Süda, Tomomi Hayashi and Ahto Kaasik, the researcher on sacred natural sites in estonia